DA's Plan for Growth and Jobs - Democratic Alliance

INTRODUCTIONBreaking down barriersSouth Africa’s economy is divided into insiders and outsiders. On the one side are those whohave jobs, homes, and the prospect of rising incomes and a better future. On the other sideare the millions of poor South Africans who continue to be excluded from the economicmainstream.This document sets out the DA’s plan to break down these barriers and create an open andinclusive economy in which each person has the skills, the opportunities, and the resources,to become a productive member of a dynamic, integrated and forward-looking society.At its core is the belief that the country promised to us in 1994 can only be achieved ifeveryone is included. No-one can be left out in the cold, no-one forgotten or left behind.It is a plan to break down the barriers that prevent many people, particularly young, poor andlow-skilled South Africans, from getting a job. It seeks to build an inclusive society whereeveryone has a stake; where having a home or starting a business is not the preserve of thefew, but rather a reality that everyone can look forward to.It will require that we challenge established interests. The monopolies and oligopolies in boththe private and public sectors that keep the cost of living high need to tackled head-on.Vested interests that seek to monopolise access to opportunity for the privileged few at theexpense of the majority – whether in the form of closed business networks, patronagepolitics, or protected employment for members of labour union COSATU and its affiliates –needs to be met with bold and decisive action.The high costs and bureaucratic red tape facing entrepreneurs and small businesses needsto be drastically reduced and the scourge of corruption and poor service delivery needs to beeliminated so that we can begin to build an effective state that works to improve the lives ofSouth Africans.For this plan to succeed we need a healthy, growing economy.No country that has tackled the interrelated challenges of poverty and unemploymentsuccessfully has done so in the absence of strong economic growth. This is because growthcreates wealth, and with more wealth, there is more to share: enough, for all, forever.Breaking down barriers – to job creation, to asset ownership, to a better standard of living -and building a high-growth, stakeholder economy, will be the centrepiece of DA economicpolicy as we move forward to 2014.The challengeThe most fundamental challenge facing South Africa today is that too few people areemployed. According to official statistics, 24% of the economically active population is out ofwork, rising to approximately 35% using the expanded definition of unemployment (whichincludes discouraged job seekers).This means that we have among the highest unemployment rates in the world. The situationis worse still for youth unemployment which registers at over 50%.18 | P a g e